STDF events: sharing good practice to support SPS capacity building
Get in touch at STDFSecretariat@wto.org to be part of future events.
2021
Aid for Trade: Investing in safe trade systems to protect health and market access
WED 24 MARCH 2021 @12:30-14:00 CET
Watch the recording of the session HERE
COVID-19 has provided a clear reminder of the ease and speed at which pests and diseases can spread worldwide, and of the inter-connectedness of global supply chains. Protecting food safety and animal and plant health across borders as a global public good is now more important than ever. With food security and livelihoods already under pressure, developing countries have been hit hardest by the pandemic, threatening to undo progress achieved in economic growth and poverty reduction. Building their resilience will require long-term investments in sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity. Action is needed to establish new partnerships between governments and private sector to meet international standards and go digital with new technology to cut down on unnecessary trade costs.
Join this STDF event with agriculture, health, trade and development experts to discuss how we should invest in safe trade systems and scale up assistance for developing countries to support economic recovery.
Discussants
- Loraine Ronchi, World Bank Group
- Washington Otieno, CABI
- Unesu Ushewokunze-Obatolu, Department of Veterinary Services of Zimbabwe
- Emily Tagliaro, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Moderator
- Melvin Spreij, Head, Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)
*Event webpage
Unlocking Regional Trade in East Africa: Enhancing Investments in Standards for Market Access
How is TMEA applying the STDF P-IMA framework to unlock regional agri-food trade in the EAC region, and how is this relevant for other regional economic bodies, including the African Continental Free Trade Area?
How can evidence-based approaches add value when the investments needed to facilitate safe trade in East Africa are huge, but resources are limited?
JOIN THE ONLINE DISCUSSION: MON 22 Feb 2021 @15:30-17:00 (NAIROBI, EAT)
STDF's Global Partnership: Facilitating Safe and Inclusive Trade Horizons in a Changed Context
What does pandemic-driven change mean for the STDF's partnership and approach?
How can the STDF partnership harness innovation to deliver for the world of tomorrow?
The STDF's global partnership of public and private sector actors from across agriculture, health, trade and development are continuing to work to facilitate safe trade, and support sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries worldwide.
In January 2020, the STDF launched its 2020-2024 Strategy in support of the UN's 2030 Agenda. Since then, our world changed completely. More than ever we need to join forces and innovate.
What do these changes mean for the STDF's approach on the ground? How is the STDF's operating model relevant for today’s world and that of tomorrow? What have we learned in 2020? And how can we build on this together to drive food safety, animal and plant health in developing countries?
A virtual discussion took place on 08 February 2021 with STDF partners, donors, project partners (government/private sector) and developing country experts to hear what the pandemic-driven changes of 2020 mean for the STDF's partnership moving forward. Participants shared their views on how we can learn and adapt to the challenges to strengthen STDF's model, delivering safe trade solutions that benefit people in developing countries.
Featuring the premier of STDF’s new film “Shaping a safer world”
Discussants
- Markus Lipp, FAO
- Shane Sela, WBG
- Kelly McCormick, US FDA
- Suzanne Neave, CABI
- Jeremy Knops, COLEACP
- Martha Byanyima, Land O'Lakes East Africa (former STDF developing country expert)
Moderator
- Marlynne Hopper, STDF
2020
ePhyto Webinar: Solutions on safe trade in plants and plant products
The ePhyto solution – driving the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates – is being led by IPPC under an STDF project, backed by international organizations, donors and industry associations.
A virtual discussion took place on 23 September 2020 to discuss about how countries are using ePhyto to safely facilitate the trade in plants and plant products across borders.
Partnering to improve food safety outcomes: accreditation and the role of vTPA programmes
- How can the public-private sector jointly drive food safety?
- What can we learn from the use of vTPA programmes?
Around the world, regulators and the private sector are coming together to drive improvements in food safety outcomes for public health and trade. Multi-national companies as well as micro and small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) are making use of quality assurance schemes to reduce supply chain risks and raise the quality and safety of food products and open up access to markets.
A number of authorities are recognizing these programmes and using trusted data generated by certification audits to make risk management decisions and conduct inspections. This also offers opportunities for crisis periods, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing this interest, Codex is developing new guidelines on the recognition and use of voluntary third-party assurance (vTPA).
Alongside regulators, vTPA owners, food industry, accreditation and certification bodies and food safety service providers, the STDF and UNIDO held a virtual discussion on accreditation and the role of vTPA programmes. The webinar took place on 9 June 2020, marking the World Accreditation Day. Click here to access the slides, and here to access e-news and video.
Future-proofing safe trade during COVID-19
With the COVID-19 pandemic, livelihoods worldwide are being affected with an unprecedented disruption of businesses and delays at borders, while the impact is felt across global supply chains. For developing countries, where health systems, infrastructure and resources face longstanding gaps, governments and the private sector, including MSMEs, now face huge challenges to respond.
The STDF held a virtual discussion on 26 May 2020 on how STDF partners are responding to COVID-19.
2019
Global action underway on meeting pesticide standards for export
Pesticides often cause trade concerns for tropical fruits and vegetables from developing countries. Few Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) exist for these crops, and they can differ from Codex standards or also for different trading partners. Three STDF projects (STDF/PG/359, STDF/PG/337, and STDF/PG/436) helped producers and traders in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to meet pesticide requirements for tropical crops, including mangos and bananas.
An STDF information session held on 07 November 2019, at the margins of the WTO SPS Committee, shared the findings and recommendations of an independent evaluation of these projects, as well as discussed their catalytic impact in driving regional and global collaboration.
Why investing in SPS capacity matters for safe trade and sustainable development
Trade in food and agricultural products offers a way for farmers, processors and traders in developing countries to increase their incomes and boost economic development. But limited capacity to meet food safety, animal and plant health requirements – SPS measures – for export can be a major challenge.
An STDF session held on 4 July 2019 looked at the impact of building SPS capacity on inclusive growth, highlighting experiences from the public and private sectors in Guatemala, Sri Lanka and Uganda.
Strengthening the control of transboundary animal diseases in Cameroon
An STDF information session held on 20 March 2019 looked at the results and impact of the project, sought to mobilize follow-up commitment and capitalize investments for the strategic plans.
2017
Costs and benefits of Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD) Control for Livestock Trade
Read more here.
Transitioning from paper-based to automated SPS systems
Read more here.
SPS Assistance for Development: the case for French-speaking Africa
2016
STDF guide to help Prioritize SPS Investments for Market Access (P-IMA)
Facilitating trade: going paperless with electronic SPS certification
Spicing-up development assistance: How SPS requirements triggered a transformational change in Sri Lanka's cinnamon sector
2015
Effective Implementation of SPS Measures to Facilitate Safe Trade
Read more here.
2014
Implementing SPS measures to facilitate safe trade
A thematic session took place on 26 March 2014, on the margins of WTO SPS Committee. The session led to knowledge exchange on trade facilitation and the implementation of SPS measures and shared the preliminary findings of three regional studies.
2013
Beyond Compliance: Integrated Systems Approach for Pest Risk Management in Southeast Asia
Innovative Systems Approach to Pest Risk Management was discussed during an STDF side event on 16 October 2013. Successful regional studies were showcased as a part of an STDF-funded project.
Public-Private Partnerships in a Value Chain Context
Prioritizing SPS Investments for Market Access (P-IMA)
This P-IMA workshop brought together developing country experts who provided useful lessons from their country's use of P-IMA 24-25 June 2013. The discussions generated practical guidance on how to deepen and improve this evidence-based approach and trigger wider the use of P-IMA.
2012
Use of P-IMA to inform Decision-Making on SPS capacity Building
The P-IMA framework was presented to key SPS experts from the Asia and the Pacific during an STDF workshop on 12-13 November 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop shared practical experiences from Belize and Vietnam where the framework have been used and provided the necessary knowledge and skills to apply this framework.
International Trade and Invasive Alien Species (IAS)
The STDF in collaboration with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) organised a seminar on 12-13 July 2012 to discuss how to manage and control the spread of IAS, an important threat for biodiversity, agricultural production and wildlife.
2011
Aid for Trade 3rd Global Review
The 3rd Aid for Trade Global Review took place on 18-19 July 2011. Previous Global Reviews (2007 and 2009) demonstrated that Aid for Trade is making progress and that partner countries are making headway in mainstreaming trade in their national and regional development strategies. The focus of the 3rd Review was on outcomes and impact.
Use of P-IMA to Inform Decisions on the Allocation of Resources aimed at Strengthening SPS Capacity
A Regional P-IMA workshop took place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 16‐17 August 2011. The workshop introduced the use of P-IMA, shared country experiences and discussed emerging issues faced in using this framework.
2010
Public-Private Partnerships in support of SPS Capacity
The STDF, in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and the World Bank Institute, organized an international workshop to discuss the untapped potential and role of PPPs in agricultural development and market access in The Hague, The Netherlands on 4-6 October 2010.
Indicators to measure SPS performance
Following the emergence of result based management frameworks, STDF organised jointly with OECD a technical working meeting on 1 July 2010 to explore indicators measuring the performance of national SPS systems.
2009
The use of economic analysis to inform SPS decision-making
The STDF organised a workshop on 30 October 2009 to raise awareness on how economic analysis can be used to inform SPS decision-making.
Fruit Fly Control in West Africa
Building on previous efforts to control fruit fly threat in West Africa, STDF and ECOWAS organised a joint donor workshop to foster the multi-stake approach in coordinating the fight on fruit fly, on 29-30 September 2009, in Bamako, Mali.
Climate Change and Agriculture Trade: risks and responses
A joint STDF/World Bank seminar looked at the implications of climate change for SPS risks and explored avenues to addresses the challenges on 22-23 September 2009, in Washington D.C, United States.
2008
Good Practice in SPS-related technical cooperation
Private Standards
STDF's information session on 26 June 2008 shared the latest updates on private standards and discussed options to assist developing countries preparing to comply with these new schemes.
Read more here.
SPS-Related Capacity Evaluation Tools